Palace of Westminster: Power Supply

Lord Colwyn: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	How many times the heavy machinery working between the Palace of Westminster and Old Palace Yard during the summer recess accidentally (a) cut off the main power supply, and (b) cut off the back-up power supply; and what is the estimated cost of repairs and the loss in ticket sales to the Palace of Westminster visitor ticket office in Old Palace Yard.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: During the week commencing 13 August the back-up supply cable to 7 Old Palace Yard was damaged by the contractor working on the road outside. At this time the cable was not being used as the mains supply was intact. Before the cable could be repaired the contractor damaged the main supply cable. The damage cut all power to Old Palace Yard. This cable was repaired later that same evening by EDF Energy (the main electricity supplier). The back-up cable was replaced during the first weekend of September.
	The cost of repairs to the back-up cable was approximately £7,000 plus VAT.
	The Palace of Westminster visitor ticket office lost approximately £2,000 in revenue during the period of the power cut due to the inability to process credit card payments.
	This was the only instance of loss of power supply during the Summer Recess up to 10 September. Should there be a further loss of power during the coming month I will provide additional information.

Antiquities

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have yet received a copy of the report, dated 27 July 2006, of a Committee of Inquiry established by University College, London (UCL), to investigate the provenance of antiquities (654 Aramaic incantation bowls) then in the possession of UCL; and what is the current location of the antiquities in question.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received a full copy of the report relating to the collection of Aramaic incantation bowls. I understand that University College, London, returned the bowls to the Schøyen Collection.

Armed Forces: War Pensioners

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether chief executives of health authorities and trusts have complied with and are continuing to comply with the arrangements for priority treatment of war pensioners published in the Department of Health's guidance HSG(97)31; and what monitoring takes place of compliance with these arrangements.

Lord Darzi of Denham: War pensioners, including recipients of awards under the Armed Forces compensation scheme, are entitled to National Health Service priority examination and treatment for conditions accepted as due to service. Priority is primarily a function of clinical need and is determined by the clinician in charge, subject only to emergency and other urgent cases.
	Regular reminders about priority treatment for war pensioners are circulated by the health services to senior NHS managers who are tasked to ensure that relevant clinical staff are aware.
	The Ministry of Defence and its Veterans Agency receive feedback from individual war pensioners and ex-service organisations on the delivery of priority treatment. Where necessary, the department takes up individual cases with the relevant health authority.

Ghana: Cocoa Production

Baroness Northover: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the recent report by the Government of Ghana Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Pilot Labour Survey in Cocoa Production in Ghana—2006, which details dangerous working practices amongst children on cocoa farms; and whether they will urge chocolate companies to source from farms that are not engaging in such exploitation.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We are concerned by the findings of the Ghana Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment's pilot labour survey in cocoa production and are committed to tackling the problem of child labour in the developing world. We have raised the issue with the Ghanaian Government, most recently in May and through workshops in social protection in September.
	The Government of Ghana passed the Children's Act 1988, which prohibits child labour, especially the engagement of children in hazardous and exploitative work. They are working with the International Labour Organisation on a programme for the elimination of child labour since 2000. The pilot labour survey demonstrates the Government's willingness to constantly monitor and review the situation. Additionally, the Ghanaian Government have encouraged more children into school by making education free. The Government are contributing £100 million over 10 years towards the education sector in Ghana.
	The Government are also supporting the Government of Ghana to put in place a new social security system, which will target the poorest households—those where children are being forced to work. If these households are guaranteed a minimum level of income, children should no longer need to work.
	The Government and the Government of Ghana have both been in dialogue with chocolate manufacturers to encourage these companies to help Ghana tackle the issue of child labour through collaborative efforts. There is an official agreement, between governments of countries involved in cocoa production and companies producing chocolate, known as the Harkin-Engel Protocol (2001). This protocol commits all parties to addressing the worst forms of child labour and forced adult labour in the supply chain of the cocoa industry. As a result, the major international chocolate companies have been supporting some of the Government of Ghana's child labour eradication programmes—including part funding the pilot labour survey, encouraging school attendance and setting up more schools near cocoa plants.

Northern Ireland: Captain Nairac

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in light of the statement made by Mr Terry McCormick of his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Captain Nairac, broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland on 19 June, they will bring forward the case of Captain Nairac from others being investigated by the historic inquiries team, so that (a) an early decision may be made on the possible prosecution of Mr McCormick; and (b) information concerning the location of Captain Nairac's remains may be obtained.

Lord Rooker: The murder of Robert Nairac is one of a number of cases that is currently under review by the historic inquiries team. If evidence is uncovered which would support a prosecution then a report will be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service.

Northern Ireland: Extradition Requests

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many extradition requests have been made to the United States authorities in respect of persons wanted in connection with the allegations of terrorist crimes connected with Northern Ireland since 1 June.

Lord Rooker: It is normal government policy to neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request has been, or is in the process of being, made in relation to any particular individual. Although the subject of this particular question is the number of requests, and not whether a request has been made in relation to a specific individual, the terms of the question are sufficiently narrow that an answer could lead to the possibility of an inference being made in respect of specific individuals. The Government therefore consider that to respond to the question would breach the spirit of the policy and that the disclosure of this information would therefore be likely to prejudice the administration of justice.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total cost of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland for 2006-07; what will be the cost for the current financial year; and what was the total staffing complement in 2006-07.

Lord Rooker: The total expenditure incurred by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland for 2006-07 was £8,514,150; the budget allocation for the office of the Police Ombudsman for 2007-08 is £9.076 million. The permanent staff complement for the office in 2006-07 was 128. In addition, 13 staff were employed on historic inquiries related work.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many published reports the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland brought forward in 2006-07; how many criminal charges against police officers have been brought as a result of those reports; and what was the overall number of criminal convictions of police officers in that financial year.

Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has published three investigative reports in 2006-07; no criminal charges have been brought against police officers as a result of those reports. Further research reports have been published by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland during this period and can be found on its website.
	The PSNI has advised that 42 police officers have been convicted of criminal offences during 2006-07.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the total number of criminal convictions of police officers in Northern Ireland since the establishment of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and what has been the offence and resultant punishment relating to each conviction.

Lord Rooker: The PSNI has advised that 227 police officers have been convicted of criminal offences since the establishment of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland until 31 March 2007.
	The information relating to the offence and punishment for each of these offences could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the total number of police personnel serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary or Police Service of Northern Ireland during each year since the establishment of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland was established on 6 November 2000. The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 RUC/PSNI STRENGTHS 
			  Regular Full-time reserve Part-time reserve Total 
			 December 2000 8,354 2,557 1,097 12,008 
			 December 2001 7,135 2,256 1,031 10,422 
			 December 2002 7,006 1,852 951 9,809 
			 December 2003 7,322 1,645 868 9,835 
			 December 2004 7,488 1,420 787 9,695 
			 December 2005 7,490 1,060 844 9,394 
			 December 2006 7,534 793 781 9,108 
			 September 2007 7,411 674 858 8,943 
			 Source:  PSNI

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any members of staff in the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have been (a) dismissed, or (b) suspended from duty or had their contracts curtailed since the office was established; and, if so, how many in each year.

Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman has advised that one member of staff is currently suspended from duty and five members of staff have been dismissed. This is broken down as follows:
	2001—One member of staff dismissed;
	2003—Two members of staff dismissed;
	2006—One member of staff dismissed; and
	2007—One member of staff dismissed.

United Nations: Responsibility to Protect

Lord Blaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their latest assessment of the value of the United Nations doctrine of the responsibility to protect; and to what countries they have considered it relevant.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We continue to uphold strongly the value of the concept of the responsibility to protect, to which all UN member states committed themselves during the world summit of 2005. Here, for the first time, world leaders agreed that Governments have the responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity within states. The UK believes it to be a powerful tool in reminding Governments and the international community of their protection responsibilities.
	The responsibility to protect is relevant to the entire international community, as all UN member states have signed up to it. In particular, the UK secured specific reference to the concept in Security Council resolutions (SCRs) relating to the situation in Sudan (SCR 1706 and SCR 1755), and in SCR 1674 on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
	The UK will continue to encourage and help states to build capacity to exercise their responsibility to protect; to assist states which are under stress before crises and conflicts break out; and to ensure that the responsibility to protect commitment is translated into a willingness to act, speedily and appropriately, in specific cases.